Apparatus for milling chocolate and like plastic materials



Jan. 17, 1928. ,WSM'

T. BRAGARD APPARATUS FOR MILLING CHOCOLATE AND LIKE PLASTIC MATERIALS Filed May 10. 1925 In 1 9/7 fa/ Ay T E/Z/ m Q 74f; @wi

W 47% @z/j Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,656,164 PATENT OFFICE.

THEODOR BRAGARD, 0F HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 MACAO-WALZE'NMUH- LEN-GESELLSCHAFT MIT IBESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG, 0F HAMBURG, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR MILLING CHOCOLATE AND LIKE PLASTIC MATERIALS.

Application filed May 10, 1926, Serial No. 108,170, and. in Germany December 5,1925.

set of planetary rolls rotating around a cen tral roll and also aroundtheir own axes, and aims at a construction such that the materlal to be treated will be subjected not only to a grinding operationbut will be thoroughly tillworked up by reason that it is given the greatest possible freedom of movement in the apparatus.

In the simplest construction according to the invention all or certain of the planetary rolls, and also, if desired, the central roll, are formed with through openings or gaps so that the material to be treated can pass transversely of the longitudinal axes of such rolls. The invention includes a particular formation of such gaps. In a modification there are substituted for certain of the planetary rolls heaters constituted by sets of bars which rotate around the central roll and also around their own axes. These heaters are especially adapted to promote the working up and the rubbing of the particles on one another and on the parts of the apparatus contacted thereby requisite for the comminution of the material.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section illustrating a preferred construction of apparatus according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic cross section thereof,

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections illustratmg a variant employing" rolls of modified section r Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the heaters.

The principle of the invention will be best understood by reference to Fig. 3.

The figure shows a construction comprising, as usual, rolls 1 which are planetarily driven around a central roll 2 in such wise that they rotate around the central roll 2 and at the same time rotate around their own axesu As distinguished from prior constructions, however, the apparatus of the in-,.

vention presents this difference that, for example, solid rolls alternate with rolls having diametral through-pasages or gaps 3 permitting the material to pass through the gapped rolls ,in the direction transverse thereto. Preferably, also the'central roll 2 is provided with a through passage 4:. The

through passages 3 and 4 increase the ca pacity of the apparatus and permit the movement of the material within the apparatus necessary for the comminution thereof, the remaining parts of the peripheral surfaces of the rolls acting as grinding and comminuting surfaces.

In order to increase the capacity of the apparatus the gapped rolls may he of the cross section shown in Fig. 4.

The preferred construction according to Figs. 1 and 2 comprises rolls the section of which is best seen in Fig. 2, The rolls rotate in the direction of the arrows. lIhe leading faces 5 of the rolls resulting from the formation of through passages in those rolls which areshown cross-hatched in Fig. 2 are substantially radial to the surfaces of the rolls. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1,

shafts 9 which rotate around the central roll 2 and a'round'their own axes, the ends of the bars being, if desired, disposed helically to promote the movement of the material in the direction of theLlongitudinal axes, the bars radiating in staggered position similar to a star from the shafts 9, Fig. 5. a

The drive'is effected as usual in grinding mills. The shaft 11 of the central roll, 2

projecting from the casing 10 carries a belt pulley 12 and Within the casing 10 carries at both ends spur wheels 13 which engage spur wheels 14 on the ends'of the planetary rolls or heaters. The spur wheels 14 mesh with internally toothed surfaces 15 on the wall of the casing 10. The material is introduced by way of a hopper 1G and is discharged through an outlet 18 adapted to he closed by a shutter 17. The shafts 9 carry discs 19 which engage bearing surfaces 20 and 21 of corresponding breadth on the central roll 2 and on the rollsl. 1

If desired, the rolls as also the heaters may he coned,'the longitudinal axes of the cones diverging from one another towards one end of the casing or being parallel to one another. 'As usual in grinding mills, the diameters of the co-operating rolls may diftent to the comminution of the material.

In the preferred construction according to Figs. 1 and 2the rolls and heaters are so arranged that they impart opposed movements to the material by reason that the central roll and the helically disposed bcaters impel the material in the same direction while the planetary rolls impel the material in the opposite direction so that the material is projected'on to the gear-sand subjected to a thorough milling action.

1. Apparatus for milling chocolate and like plastic materials comprising a central roll, planetary rolls mounted for rotation around said central roll and" also around their own axes, said'rolls co-acting directly with said central roll and with one another, certain ofwhich planetar'ylrolls are formed with passages opening peripherally of said rolls so that the material-can pass transversely of the longitudinal axes thereof,

said passageslextending longitudinally of said rolls an having the walls thereof obliquely directed to move material entering r said rolls, in a longitudinal direction.

2. Apparatus for milling chocolate and like plastic materials comprising a central roll, planetary rolls mounted for'rotation around said central and also aroundtheir own axes, said rolls co-acting with said cen tral roll and with one another, certain of which planetary rolls, and also the central roll, are formed with helical passages sq thatthe material can pass transversely of the longitudinal axes "thereof, said passages extending longitudinally of said'rolls and having the-helices thereof so disposed as to move material entering said rolls longitudinally in opposite direction in said planetary and pentra 7 rolls respectively.

3. Apparatus according tolclaim 1,

acterized in that walls of the passages through the rolls extend substantially from end to end thereof and are helically disposed.

41 Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that. the leading faces of the through passages in the rolls are sub stantially radial to the axes of said rolls.

5. Apparatus for milling chocolate and like plastic materials comprising planetary rolls rotatable around a central roll and also around their own axes, certain of which planetary rolls are formed with through passagesor gaps so that thematcrial eanpass transversely of the longitudinal axes thereof, and characterized in that the planetary rolls having the through passages alternate with heaters also rotatable both around a central roll and about their own axes.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, and

: further characterized in that the actuation of the rotating beater shafts is derived from the externally driven central roll through the medium of planetary gears arranged within the closed casing of the apparatus the teeth of said gears being ofsuch breadth that they eii'ect an appreciable part of the milling action.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, and further characterized in that the beater shafts carry discs which bear on surfaces of suitable width on the planetary rolls and on the central roll.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5, and further characterized in that the actuation of the rotating beater shafts is derived from the externally driven central roll through the medium of planetary gears arranged within the closed casing of the apparatus, the

teeth of said gears being of such breadth that they effect an appreciable part of the milling action, and further characterized in that the diameters of the co-operatiug rolls differ slightly from the diameters of the relative gears fixed thereto so that there is slip at the points of contact.

9. Apparatus according to claim 5, further characterized in that the central roll, planetary rolls, and the heaters are of conical formation. k

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THEODOR BRAGARD. 

